Scar constant reminder of fireworks risk

Dominic King, 11, still receives treatment for burns suffered three years ago. Photo / Dean Purcell

When Dominic King was told by his grandparents that at 8 years old he was too young to light fireworks, he reacted like many children his age might - he sat "in a huff" and pulled his hoodie over his head.

Little did the family know that despite their safety precautions of being more than 10 metres from the fireworks and having a bucket of water on standby, Dominic was about to become a victim of the very dangers his grandparents were trying to protect him from.

As his big brother and grandparents continued with the evening's fun on Guy Fawkes night three years ago, the West Harbour boy was hit with a spark from a malfunctioning firecracker which landed in his hoodie, melting the sweatshirt into a burn on his neck so deep it melted into his muscle.

The resulting injuries were so horrific that Dominic required a skin graft and two operations. Three years on,his doctors still do not know when his rehabilitation might end.

As people get ready to celebrate Guy Fawkes this Thursday, the Marina View School student and his family want to remind others to be careful with fireworks.

Dominic's injuries are now barely noticeable because of the excellent job done by his surgeons at Middlemore Hospital. But they are a stark reminder of just how easily things can go wrong.

"He was in the wrong place at the wrong time," his grandmother Jacqui Riordan said: "It's just a bad accident. We couldn't have been doing anything more right."

Understandably, the family do not celebrate Guy Fawkes night.

"I'm okay with them but it's just I was in the wrong place," Dominic said. "I still like fireworks, but ...," his voice trails and his mother, Leesa King, completes his sentence: "It's just got a different meaning for us now."

The family have got through their ordeal by being positive.

"We're so lucky he's still got his face," Mrs King said. "He's still got his eyes. When you look at it there's far worse things that could have happened, so we're blessed really. You can never be too careful."

Thankfully, such injuries were rare, said Dominic's surgeon, Dr Richard Wong She, clinical leader for burns at Middlemore Hospital's National Burns Centre.

He said the unit generally dealt with two types of fireworks injuries: burns from fireworks touching the skin or clothing catching fire, and "blast injuries" from people who had been holding on to fireworks when they exploded in their hands.

"We can legislate to the extreme but the people that are getting injured - other than people like Dominic - the majority are purposely putting themselves and others at risk with their behaviour. They know what they're doing is not right. The vast majority of people have a safe Guy Fawkes."

* Safety tips

Read and follow the instructions on fireworks before using them.

Light in a wide open area away from anything that could catch fire.

Never point fireworks at people.

Fireworks and alcohol/drugs are a dangerous combination.

Always let an adult light the fireworks.

Keep a bucket of water or a hose handy.

Keep all unlit fireworks in their box or bag until you light them.

Leave dud fireworks alone - trying to relight them is unsafe.

Burns need water for 20 minutes.